บท 78: Crown Prince

Ari brought the party over to their designated table. The table she brought them to was one for the Court Mages. Today would be Earl's first time seeing all the Courtmages.

Ablax's 4 Court Mages were the pillars of the kingdom.

The first at the table was the familiar Merlin. He was the kingdom's best water mage, also known as the Sage of Water. Like Ari, he was wearing his Court Mage robe. He greeted them with a friendly smile when they stood by the table. He was together with his son for the day.

Merlin's son was named Shane. He was a man approaching his middle years and shared his father's friendly and mild deposition. His hair was dark brown in colour and his eyes were a shade of blue. When standing side by side with his father, one could mistake him to be the younger version of Merlin.

The next Court Mage at the table was Norman, the Alchemist of Cliffgem. He held a simple title that represented his humble hometown. Out of all the Court Mages, he appeared to be the most low-profile and did not look anything special. His skin was wrinkly despite being decades younger than Merlin and the shade of his skin was an unhealthy shade of white. His hair was black and his eyes were grim. Overall, he appeared to be miserable.

Lastly at the table, Lightspear Xavier. He appeared to be the same age as Merlin, all old and wrinkly. His silver hair reached all the way down his back and was neatly tied in a bun. His pair of yellow eyes emitted an aura of holiness which was fitting of his background. He originated from the Holy Continent and later settled down in the Great Continent due to unknown reasons. Despite having settled in a new continent, he followed the values of the Holy Continent. And one of these values was an obvious dislike for slaves.

Right away, he was the first to speak. "Ari, what is your reason for bringing slaves into this party?"

Ari expected this reaction and playfully replied. "Just a few slaves, Xavier. No big deal."

"Just a few slaves, you say?" A vein bulged on Xavier's wrinkly forehead. "Slavery is a sin! You are forcefully depriving another person of their rights! By continuing to support such practices, it will never end!"

"Then are you doing anything to stop it?"

"..." Xavier was speechless against Ari's words. Such was the hypocrisy of man.

The confrontation ended as quickly as it started. Earl had to calm Aria and Lily down by petting their head. "There, there. It's just a cranky old man, don't worry about it."

Merlin shook his head and sighed at how tense the atmosphere has become. Norman turned to look and then looked away without saying anything.

The tense atmosphere was broken when the royal family entered the hall. The light within the hall suddenly dimmed and the king, queen, and prince appeared. It was a flashy entrance that fitting of one from royalty.

King Ablax donned a garb that was fitting of a king. A thick red cape flowed down his shoulders and his golden sceptre shone so brightly, the room appeared to be a little brighter despite the dimness of the light.

Queen Linda stood by his side. Her platinum blonde hair was cut shoulder length. Her face was flawless and her lips were red, perfect for kissing. Her eyes were bright blue and slightly narrowed, emitting a charm that was deadly to all men. She was the golden standard of all women within Ablax.

Her silver strapless dress hugged her body tightly and showed off her cleavage. To finish off, a pearl necklace hung off her neck. She was like the grown-up version of Sharon, but less cute and wilder.

Lastly, Prince Seth. Compared to his divinely charming mother and impressive father, he appeared insignificant. He wore a nervous expression despite trying his best to remain calm and composed but it could not be helped. He was only 10 years old.

Princess Sharon was nowhere to be seen which was natural. Members of the royal family would only make a public appearance at their 10th birthday like what was happening with Prince Seth right now.

All eyes moved onto Prince Seth after having a feast at the queen. The intense gaze of the nobles made the little prince squirm nervously. These nobles were all of different varieties. Some were generals, some were seasoned fighters, some were experienced managers.

It was a probe from the nobles to gauge who they would be subject to in the future. They evaluated everything about him at this moment. The way he reacted to being looked at, his appearance, his mannerisms. Many sighed in disappointment after seeing the prince. It would be another generation of stagnation like with the current king.

"My subjects!" King Ablax roared. "Today marks the birthday of my son, Seth Ablax! With this great occasion, I have several announcements to make!"

The king began to list various updates and achievements the kingdom has made recently. From things like agricultural advancements to military expansion.

While this gathering was mostly to celebrate the appearance of the first prince, it was also a chance to get everything out to the nobles since it was a rare chance for so many to gather at once.

"And finally, I, Henry Ablax, the 66th King of Ablax declare my son, Seth Ablax the position of the Crown Prince of Ablax!"

The nobles cheered so loud the hall trembled. Like many had predicted, today was truly the day the heir to the Ablax Kingdom would be announced.

It was an entirely political play arranged by the king. Prince Seth's only job was to stand at the side and watch the entire event play out.

"Now, let the party begin. Take a seat, my subjects!"

Per the cue of the king, the nobles within the hall could finally be seated. It was at this moment the party truly started. Musicians entered from a side entrance and settled down in every corner of the hall.

Soon, the pleasant sound of music filled the entire hall. Once the music came, the dancers followed. The dancers were mostly women who dressed in traditional Ablax clothing which was a loose, yet revealing robe.

They danced gently and elegantly to the music. The royal hall became a magical paradise with the addition of these entertainers.